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Classic-Horror.com's most recent movie reviewsenReview: Isle of the Dead (1945)http://classic-horror.com/reviews/isle_of_the_dead_1945
<div class="image-attach-teaser image-attach-node-17859" style="width: 135px;"><a href="/reviews/isle_of_the_dead_1945"><img src="http://classic-horror.com/files/images/isle-of-the-dead-poster.thumbnail.jpg" alt="Isle of the Dead poster" title="Isle of the Dead poster" class="image image-thumbnail " width="135" height="210" /></a></div>
<p>Death casts a large shadow in all of
Val Lewton's RKO horror productions, but never larger than in <em>Isle
of the Dead</em>. Characters drop like flies as both science and
superstition prove inept against the advances of the Grim Reaper in
this foreboding tale set amid war, disease and encroaching madness.</p>
<p>Perhaps the most flawed of Lewton's
chillers, this is also one of his most memorable and, in its
climactic moments, the most outright frightening. The story was
inspired by Lewton's fascination with Arnold Böcklin's painting
of the same name, which can be seen under the opening credits and
represented in the background as a Greek general (Boris Karloff) and
American war correspondent (Marc Cramer) approach a small island
where the general's wife is buried.</p><p><a href="http://classic-horror.com/reviews/isle_of_the_dead_1945" target="_blank">read more</a></p>http://classic-horror.com/reviews/isle_of_the_dead_1945#commentsTheatrical releaseLewton HorrorsDisease/InfectionPsychologicalVampiresWarUSATue, 29 Nov 2011 00:48:16 +0000Joel Wicklund451 at http://classic-horror.comReview: Island of Lost Souls (1932)http://classic-horror.com/reviews/island_of_lost_souls_1932
<div class="image-attach-teaser image-attach-node-17740" style="width: 137px;"><a href="/reviews/island_of_lost_souls_1932"><img src="http://classic-horror.com/files/images/island_of_lost_souls.thumbnail.jpg" alt="Island of Lost Souls" title="Island of Lost Souls" class="image image-thumbnail " width="137" height="210" /></a></div>
<p>With the installation of the Motion
Picture Production Code in February 1930, Hollywood, suffering from a damaged image through much of the
silents era due to off-screen star scandals and production of some
risque films, finally bowed to political pressure for increased censorship. Full enforcement of the code,
however, would not happen until 1934, when the chief censoring body,
the Hays Office, was finally given final editing authority over the
studios. Until then, many juicy gems, like Paramount's 1932 horror
classic <em>Island of Lost Souls</em> were able to sneak past editor's
chopping block with all the delightfully overt and lurid elements
intact.
</p><p><a href="http://classic-horror.com/reviews/island_of_lost_souls_1932" target="_blank">read more</a></p>http://classic-horror.com/reviews/island_of_lost_souls_1932#commentsTheatrical releaseMad ScientistsMonstersScience FictionUSAMon, 30 May 2011 05:46:12 +0000Kevin Nickelson995 at http://classic-horror.comReview: It Conquered the World (1956)http://classic-horror.com/reviews/it_conquered_the_world_1956
<div class="image-attach-teaser image-attach-node-17247" style="width: 135px;"><a href="/reviews/it_conquered_the_world_1956"><img src="http://classic-horror.com/files/images/it_conquered_the_world_poster_01.thumbnail.jpg" alt="It Conquered the World poster" title="It Conquered the World poster" class="image image-thumbnail " width="135" height="210" /></a></div>
<p>In the 1950s, the Cold War was steaming up and alien invasion
movies were making big bucks at the box office. Combining the two was
a natural pairing that emerged throughout the decade . One of the
more intelligent efforts to come from that era is Roger Corman's <em>It
Conquered the World. </em>Written by Corman's friend and frequent
collaborator Charles B. Griffith, the film uses its alien antagonist
to play on the fear of Communism as a external force bent on
brainwashing and depersonalizing humanity, while simultaneously
exploring a very human debate about the pros and cons of the "Red
Menace." The result is a deeply satisfying,
thought-provoking viewing experience.
</p><p><a href="http://classic-horror.com/reviews/it_conquered_the_world_1956" target="_blank">read more</a></p>http://classic-horror.com/reviews/it_conquered_the_world_1956#commentsTheatrical releaseAliensScience FictionSocial CommentaryUSAMon, 23 Aug 2010 03:36:18 +0000Nate Yapp7348 at http://classic-horror.comReview: I Spit on Your Grave (1978)http://classic-horror.com/reviews/i_spit_on_your_grave_1978
<div class="image-attach-teaser image-attach-node-14986" style="width: 141px;"><a href="/reviews/i_spit_on_your_grave_1978"><img src="http://classic-horror.com/files/images/i-spit-on-your-grave-1978.thumbnail.jpg" alt="I Spit on Your Grave poster" title="I Spit on Your Grave poster" class="image image-thumbnail " width="141" height="210" /></a></div>
<p>There is a morbid curiosity that lingers over <em>I Spit on Your Grave</em>, a film that in the thirty-years since its original theatrical run<a name="_ftnref1" href="/reviews/i_spit_on_your_grave_1978#_ftn1"><sup>1</sup></a> has gained cult status for its depravity. I admit to being someone with such a curiosity, which began when I read that Roger Ebert and Gene Siskel had called it the worst film they had ever seen and launched a successful campaign to have the film pulled from the United Artist Theater in Chicago<a name="_ftnref2" href="#_ftn2"><sup>2</sup></a>. Something in me had to know if the film reviled so much could be <em>that</em> bad, if the controversy surrounding its depictions of violence and rape against women was appropriate or misconstrued, and whether or not the film needed to be discussed further.</p><p><a href="http://classic-horror.com/reviews/i_spit_on_your_grave_1978" target="_blank">read more</a></p>http://classic-horror.com/reviews/i_spit_on_your_grave_1978#commentsTheatrical releasePsycho KillersUSAReader's ChoiceMon, 09 Mar 2009 09:00:00 +0000John Dubrawa14987 at http://classic-horror.comReview: The Incredible Shrinking Man (1957)http://classic-horror.com/reviews/incredible_shrinking_man_1957
<div class="image-attach-teaser image-attach-node-15354" style="width: 134px;"><a href="/reviews/incredible_shrinking_man_1957"><img src="http://classic-horror.com/files/images/incredible-shrinking-man.thumbnail.jpg" alt="Incredible Shrinking Man poster" title="Incredible Shrinking Man poster" class="image image-thumbnail " width="134" height="210" /></a></div>
<p>Okay, let's face it: size does matter.</p> <p>Based on Richard Matheson's novel <em>The Shrinking Man</em> and directed by cult sci-fi and horror guru Jack Arnold of <em>It Came from Outer Space, <a href="/reviews/creature_from_the_black_lagoon_1954">Creature from the Black Lagoon</a></em>, and <a href="/reviews/tarantula_1955"><em>Tarantula</em></a> fame, <em>The Incredible Shrinking Man</em> is considered one of science fiction's best films. Its strengths, however, lurk more in the horrific implications it presents than its science fiction.</p><p><a href="http://classic-horror.com/reviews/incredible_shrinking_man_1957" target="_blank">read more</a></p>http://classic-horror.com/reviews/incredible_shrinking_man_1957#commentsTheatrical releaseAnimal AttacksCircusScience FictionSocial CommentaryUSATue, 24 Feb 2009 19:30:05 +0000Chris Justice431 at http://classic-horror.comReview: Ichi the Killer (2001)http://classic-horror.com/reviews/ichi_the_killer_2001
<div class="image-attach-teaser image-attach-node-13893" style="width: 147px;"><a href="/reviews/ichi_the_killer_2001"><img src="http://classic-horror.com/files/images/ichi_the_killer.thumbnail.jpg" alt="Ichi the Killer poster" title="Ichi the Killer poster" class="image image-thumbnail " width="147" height="210" /></a></div>
<p><em>Ichi the Killer</em> (titled <em>Koroshiya 1</em> in Japan) is one of the most brutal and intense films to come out this decade. Based on a manga by Hideo Yamamoto and directed by the prolific director of <em>Audition</em>, <a href="/masters/takashi_miike">Takashi Miike</a>, <em>Ichi the Killer</em> is a dark, disturbed, and often very humorous tale of sadism and violence. With no holds barred, Ichi presents extremely graphic scenes of gore that leave absolutely nothing to the imagination. While thematically it barely qualifies as a horror film, its obvious influence on later films like <a href="/reviews/hostel_2005"><em>Hostel</em></a> and <a href="/reviews/saw_2004"><em>Saw</em></a> make it a landmark in the genre.</p><p><a href="http://classic-horror.com/reviews/ichi_the_killer_2001" target="_blank">read more</a></p>http://classic-horror.com/reviews/ichi_the_killer_2001#commentsTheatrical releaseBorderline HorrorPsycho KillersSplatterHong KongJapanSouth KoreaWed, 22 Oct 2008 07:15:28 +0000Eric Miller1032 at http://classic-horror.comReview: It! The Terror from Beyond Space (1958)http://classic-horror.com/reviews/it_the_terror_from_beyond_space_1958
<div class="image-attach-teaser image-attach-node-13865" style="width: 137px;"><a href="/reviews/it_the_terror_from_beyond_space_1958"><img src="http://classic-horror.com/files/images/it_the_terror_from_beyond_s.thumbnail.jpg" alt="It! The Terror from Beyond Space poster" title="It! The Terror from Beyond Space poster" class="image image-thumbnail " width="137" height="210" /></a></div>
<p>Though its title might evoke a bit of laughter and thoughts of a schlocky man-in-a-rubber-suit monster movie, <em>It: The Terror From Beyond Space</em> is more than just a standard creature feature. Not allowing his film to be hindered by a shoestring budget and relatively short runtime, director Edward Cahn (along with screenwriter Jerome Bixby) crafts a taut, science fiction thriller with issues and themes that require no special effects in the confines of a story that takes little time to tell.</p><p><a href="http://classic-horror.com/reviews/it_the_terror_from_beyond_space_1958" target="_blank">read more</a></p>http://classic-horror.com/reviews/it_the_terror_from_beyond_space_1958#commentsTheatrical releaseAliensScience FictionUSASun, 28 Sep 2008 20:33:01 +0000John Dubrawa8097 at http://classic-horror.comReview: Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1978)http://classic-horror.com/reviews/invasion_of_the_body_snatchers_1978
<div class="image-attach-teaser image-attach-node-12963" style="width: 140px;"><a href="/reviews/invasion_of_the_body_snatchers_1978"><img src="http://classic-horror.com/files/images/invasion_of_body_snatchers_1978.thumbnail.jpg" alt="Invasion of the Body Snatchers 1978" title="Invasion of the Body Snatchers 1978" class="image image-thumbnail " width="140" height="210" /></a></div>
<p>Remaking a classic can be a daunting prospect. The new film will be scrutinized not only by moviegoers and critics, but by people making exacting comparisons between it and the original version. A director must be careful to respect and honor the original film, while at the same time offering a new and fresh take on an already familiar story. On these terms, Philip Kaufman’s 1978 remake of Don Siegel’s 1956 masterpiece <a href="/reviews/invasion_of_the_body_snatchers_1956"><em>Invasion of the Body Snatchers</em></a> succeeds magnificently. It does credit to the original while crafting an exquisite experience of terror and paranoia. This wonderful film is a must see of 1970s horror cinema.</p><p><a href="http://classic-horror.com/reviews/invasion_of_the_body_snatchers_1978" target="_blank">read more</a></p>http://classic-horror.com/reviews/invasion_of_the_body_snatchers_1978#commentsTheatrical releaseAliensApocalypseScience FictionSocial CommentaryUSAFri, 23 May 2008 08:52:09 +0000Eric Miller8538 at http://classic-horror.comReview: I Am Legend (2007)http://classic-horror.com/reviews/i_am_legend_2007
<div class="image-attach-teaser image-attach-node-13233" style="width: 142px;"><a href="/reviews/i_am_legend_2007"><img src="http://classic-horror.com/files/images/i_am_legend_2007.thumbnail.jpg" alt="I Am Legend 2007 poster" title="I Am Legend 2007 poster" class="image image-thumbnail " width="142" height="210" /></a></div>
<p>Generally, I’m the first to say that movie adaptations of literary works need to be considered as separate entities from the progenerating material. Expecting unwavering faithfulness to the original work is not only an unreasonable request, it often results in poorly shot, painfully boring films (take the first <em>Harry Potter</em> film, for instance). However, while I will tolerate a lot of concessions in the name of good filmmaking, I expect a movie adaptation to stay true to the spirit of the original, enough so that I can at least recognize the vestiges of the original plot amidst the new additions and modifications. Francis Lawrence's <em>I Am Legend</em>, however, hasn’t been adapted from Richard Mathesons’s novella, so much as it’s sent the novella to its room and thrown an unsupervised party in its absence.</p><p><a href="http://classic-horror.com/reviews/i_am_legend_2007" target="_blank">read more</a></p>http://classic-horror.com/reviews/i_am_legend_2007#commentsTheatrical releaseZombiesAustraliaUSATue, 01 Apr 2008 19:36:42 +0000Julia Merriam7527 at http://classic-horror.comReview: Idle Hands (1999)http://classic-horror.com/reviews/idle_hands_1999
<div class="image-attach-teaser image-attach-node-13237" style="width: 152px;"><a href="/reviews/idle_hands_1999"><img src="http://classic-horror.com/files/images/idle_hands.thumbnail.jpg" alt="Idle Hands poster" title="Idle Hands poster" class="image image-thumbnail " width="152" height="210" /></a></div>
<p>It's like a cruel, twisted <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9IfbqYwMYAA" target="_blank">Reese's commercial</a>. "You got your stoner comedy in my monster horror!" "You got your monster horror in my stoner comedy!" While these two concepts aren't totally incompatible, the 1999 film <em>Idle Hands</em> doesn't gel them into something as easily consumed by the public as chocolate peanut butter cups. <br /> &nbsp;</p><p><a href="http://classic-horror.com/reviews/idle_hands_1999" target="_blank">read more</a></p>http://classic-horror.com/reviews/idle_hands_1999#commentsTheatrical releaseComedyOccultSplatterUSAFri, 14 Dec 2007 08:10:32 +0000Timothy J. Rush1370 at http://classic-horror.com